Jelly candies such as imitation fruit pieces, fruit bars, jellybean centers, and sugared jellies have been prepared with sugar (e.g., sucrose, 42 and/or 64 D.E. corn syrups), water, and starch for many years. These confections have a firm, but soft, texture that contributes to their desirable mouth feel. Jelly candies are typically manufactured by a starch mold casting process known in the trade as the Mogul system. Starch molds are formed by making a plurality of depressions of the desired shape in a bed of starch. In the Mogul system, the ingredients are cooked at a temperature above the boiling point of the mixture and/or at a moisture level above that of the finished confection for a sufficient length of time to fully activate or gelatinize the starch. In a typical pressure cooking process for a commercial Mogul system, the ingredients are cooked at a moisture of about 20-25 weight percent at temperature of about 140.degree.-180.degree. C., for less than about one minute. The starch is generally acid-thinned (also known as thin-boiling) common corn starch or a high amylose starch or a blend of the two. After cooking, the hot liquid mixture is deposited into a starch mold. The starch mold forms the confection and helps to reduce the moisture content. The deposited confections are then routinely dried for about 24-72 hours to reach the desired moisture content of about 14-20 weight percent.
Presently, various procedures are used to manufacture liquid-center candies; such as fondant/invertase liquefaction, center fill co-extrusion, injection filling and center-in-shell co-depositing. However, none of these procedures are acceptable for use with jelly casady.
Fondant/invertase liquefaction is generally accomplished by mixing the enzyme, invertase, in a fondant that is enrobed with chocolate. The enzyme later converts the fondant to a liquid by breaking down sucrose to invert sugar. The enzymatic action is dependant on the amount of available moisture, pH, and temperature. This method does not work well with jelly candy because of the jelly candy's low moisture content. Jelly candy is put into the molds at about 25-30% moisture and then cured at 140.degree. F. for further drying. Thus, by the time the invertase has time to liquify the center filling, there is not enough water remaining for invertase action.
Center fill co-extrusion is generally used to fill hard candy with jam-like material. The first step is to form a rope of hard candy. Second, a small pipe that sticks into the hard candy and is used to pump jam into the candy. The rope of candy is then run through cutters, and pinched to form seams. This method is specific for hard candy, taffy or other high-cooked candy. However, center fill co-extrusion does not work with jelly candy, because there are problems with seal failure.
Center shell depositing uses a depositing nozzle that has a concentric design so that it can pump an outer stream and a center stream at the same time. Pumping is timed so that the outer shell is pumped into the mold first, and then the inside stream comes on after a sleeve of outer candy is created with the initial deposit. It is successfully used to fill peanut butter, fondant and other paste like fillings into chocolate. However, filling thin liquid into jelly candy has not been well demonstrated by this method due to excessive leaks. Leaks are more likely to develop with jelly candy than with other types of candy for several reasons. First, because of the density of sugary liquids, they will sink through hot jelly to the bottom of the mold. As a result, leaks will develop, because the bottom of the piece of candy will have a thin wall. Third, if pump timing is even slightly irregular, filling will be slightly to the side. This will create a thin outer wall, and creates potential for a leak. If the cut off on the nozzle isn't perfectly timed and a string of the inner liquid comes up through the outer jelly, a leak pathway will develop. Fourth, jelly candies tend to shrink and contract as they are dried. This gives them a pressurized effect. If there is any leaker pathway within jelly candy, the liquid is squeezed out of the center.
Since flavors are better perceived in liquid than in colloidal jelly, a free flowing liquid center offers uniquely pleasant eating qualities and delivers a pronounced flavor advantage over solid jelly candy. Texture and eating qualities are improved by the liquid lubrication of the jelly mass during mastication. Additionally, liquid center jelly preparations may have pharmaceutical applications in situations in which the desired dose form is liquid.
Since liquid centers are desirable and present methods for preparing liquid-centered jelly candy are inadequate, a demand exists for a process to prepare jelly candy with liquid centers. Especially one that provides a method for incorporating active components that might interfere with the gelling function if incorporated directly, such as acids, metals, salts, etc.